The Non Haunted Hathaways
by withheldforprivacy
Summary: What if the ghost exterminator had banished the Prestons from the house? See how a small change led Hathaways to a hellish future.
1. Prologue

The three female members of the Hathaways' family are sitting on the couch of their new houses spooky, red living room, watching a fat, black woman

dancing around, chanting incomprehensible words and wielding a weird stick. She's wearing a turban and a multicolored dress. She's the ghost

exterminator that Michelle Hathway, the mother of Taylor (nicknamed as Tay) and Franceska (nicknamed as Frankie), hired, to Tay's relief and Frankie's

disapproval.

Tay is anxious. This woman looks a total weirdo and totally untrustworthy. Will she really manage to rid the house of Prestons, the black ghosts that

reside it? And, most importantly, will she pull it off in time? Lily, the girl Tay met a few hours ago, will be here at any time. Lily seemed really sweet to

Taylor and, most importantly, she goes to the same school Tay will start attending and shares common interests with her. She promised to introduce

Tay to the other members of the school's gymnastics team. If that exterminator doesn't make it fast, Taylor's chances at getting social life at her new

school will be ruined.

-''The girls will be here in ten minutes'' she declares to her mom. ''I'll just not open the door''.

-''No'' Michelle strictly answers. ''I said you won't cancel it and you won't. Trust me, i've got this''.

Taylor gets up and starts walking away when the exterminator freaks her out:

-''This is bad. Very bad. I'm feeling strange vibrations''.

Right after that, she calms down, takes a cell phone out of her bra and continues:

-''No, wait, i've just got a text message''.

Taylor rolls her eyes and goes downstairs. The exterminator reads the phone's message. It's from her annoying husband. He can't find his socks.

Again!

-''Dang him'' the annoyed exterminator cries. ''How many times do i have to tell him? I always put his socks at the third drawer. What's so hard for him

to remember?''

She looks at Michelle.

-''Men! They're totally worthless'' she comments.

-''You're telling me...'' Michelle agrees in an understanding expression, remembering her ex husband.

-''That's why i'll never get married'' Frankie adds, in a bored and sad expression, being still displeased at the idea of the ghosts leaving.

Michelle looks at her younger daughter, in a mocking expression:

-''Oh, really? We've all said that stuff, long before you, Frankie. Trust me, you will get married someday. And, since nobody marries for life anymore, you

will also divorce someday''.

-''Whatever'' Frankie sighs, not being in the mood to argue with her mother right now.

Michelle turns back to the ghost exterminator:

-''Come on, continue the ghost banishing ritual''.

 _In our universe, that phone call delayed the ghost banishing ritual for a few moments. And these few moments made all the difference between the_

 _''happily ever after'' and the nightmare. But, in another universe, when the exterminator's husband was about to text her, he remembered what_

 _she had told him about the third drawer, so he looked there and found his socks. And he did not text his wife. And the ghost banishing ritual was_

 _not delayed. And the Hathaways were doomed to a fate worse than Hell itself. Starting from next time, we'll see the bleak story of that other_

 _universe, the story of the Non Haunted Hathaways._


	2. Chapter 1: Bye Bye Prestons

Taylor is fallen on the chessboard like floor of the bakery's main hall, full of disappointment, not having the moral strength to even

stand up or take her eyes off the floor. The girls of the gymnastics team, who were so close to becoming her friends, are walking

towards the exit. Miles, the black, teen ghost, unintentionally ruined Taylor's chance to enter her new school's gymnastics' team.

Miles feels awful now.

No, there is no way he'll let it end like this! He must help Taylor. He extends his arm, ready to lock the exit with his ghost powers.

However, before he can do so, he feels weird. His body is covered in black shadows and then starts vanishing.

-''Wh-what's happening to me?'' a freaked out Miles yells.

The gymnastic girls, who, of course, cannot see him or hear him, just exit the building as if nothing happened. Taylor on the other

hand, turns her head to him.

-''Taylor, please, help me'' the ghost screams before totally vanishing.

Tay instictively gets up, realizing what has happened. It's the ghost banishing ritual! Mixed feelings inside her, she runs upstairs.

* * *

All three ghosts have now been forcefully gathered at the living room.

-''Mom, you can't do this'' Frankie desperately tries.

-''I'm sorry, sweetie, it has to happen'' Michelle answers.

Ray Preston, the father of the two young ghosts, Miles and Louie, realizes there is nothing he can do.

-''I guess all that's left to do is say goodbye to our home'' he melancholically says to his kids. ''We've got a lot of good memories

here''.

Taylor shows up. Michelle smiles at her with a thumbs up.

-''See, sweetie? I told you i had got this'' she triumphantly says to her older daughter. ''Soon, those damned ghosts will be gone

forever''.

Taylor looks at the ghost family. Realizing this is the last time she has the chance to see ghosts, she guesses she might as well

look at them for one last time.

-''Taylor...please...do something. Save us'' Miles desperately pleads Taylor as their ghost forms slowly vanish.

Taylor starts feeling sorry for him. But this is not enough of a reason to try to convince her mother to reverse her decision.

Those damned ghosts already ruined one chance of hers to make some new friends at her new whereabouts. There is no way

she'll risk letting them ruin any possible future chances of hers as well. She crosses her arms and gives Miles a stern look.

-''I'm sorry, but you've done enough damage already'' she firmly says.

-''I- i didn't mean to'' Miles replies, bursting into tears and with the largest part of his immaterial body having gone by now.

-''Please, we'll do anything. ANYTHING'' a desperate Ray decides to try as well.

Tay gulps but manages to keep his arms crossed and his stern expression. Michelle also feels unsure now. The ghosts seem regretful

and sincere. Could she... NO, what is she thinking? Right now, these damned ghosts can say anything to save themselves. They're

just saying what she wants to hear. No, she won't fall for this, she'll close her ears to anything that might come out of their tricky,

immaterial mouths.

The largest part of the ghosts' images have disappeared by now. Only their heads have remained. Realizing there is trully nothing

they can do, realizing this is trully the last time they see those humans, Louie acts on impulse and out of character:

-''Frankie...i want you to know that i'm really sorry for the rude way i treated you earlier. I also want you to know that, deep

inside, i was...kinda...fond of you!''

That does it!

-''I won't let you do this'' Frankie screams and attacks the exterminator, trying to grab her stick.

The older woman though raises it high, rendering it impossible for the little girl to reach.

-''GIMME THAT'' a desperate Frankie yells while jumping to reach the stick, even though she knows it's futile.

The black woman laughs.

-''Frankie, stop this childish behaviour'' her mother scolds, but Frankie ignores her and keeps her foolish efforts.

Dang it, if only the exterminator was a man, Frankie thinks. Then, she could kick him in the ''jewels'' (thanks to her precociousness,

she knows some stuff about male anatomy) and get the stick.

-''The job is done'' the exterminator finally declares with an insensitive expression and hits the floor with the stick. Frankie wide opens

her eyes. No, it can't be...she turns her head and sees the ghosts are gone.

-''NOOOO'' she screams in a way that neither her mother nor her sister have heard her scream before.

They've heard her scream out of rage many times, but this is the first time her voice's tone indicates genuine sorrow. The little

girl falls on her knees and bursts into tears. Her two relatives are both shocked.

Taylor goes and ducks next to the crying Frankie and holds her sister's shoulder.

-''Frankie'' she tries softly. ''You must understand we had no other choi...''

-''FUCK YOU'' Frankie screams, gets up and runs out of the room.

Under different conditions, Michelle would be mad at Frankie using bad language. But, right now, she can't feel like that.

Taylor tries to run behind Frankie, but Michelle grabs her by the shoulder.

-''Leave her alone, she'll get over it'' she says to her older daughter.

-''Er hem'' a voice is heard.

It was the black woman:

-''I hate to interrupt emotional family moments, but i want my fee''.

* * *

Evening. Two of the three members of the Hathaway family, Taylor and Michelle, are sitting in the dining room, having dinner:

Turkey, one of Frankie's favourites. Even this delicious food though was not enough of a reason for Frankie to show up. She's

still locked in her room (Taylor let her take the big room, because she felt sorry for her). Not in any mood to eat either, Tay

and her mother are just shuffling their plates' contents with their forks.

Tay is troubled. The ghosts are gone, just like she wanted. Then, why does she feel awful? This isn't the way it was supposed

to be. Suddenly, she wonders how this night would be had they not banished the ghosts. She visualizes the two families

sitting together, the place full of laughter and joy. Then, maybe the ghosts would do something weird, like... dunno... make

the turkey dance. Man, Frankie would have definitely loved something like that. Tay laughs at her crazy thoughts.

-''What is it, honey?'' Michelle asks.

-''Nothing'' Tay answers and returns to her melancholy.

She sighs. It sounds so crazy, yet... could their coexistence with ghosts really have worked out somehow? Come to think

of it, now that she's not angry anymore, she must admit that that teen ghost- what was his name again, Niles? Yes, Niles it was-

that Niles guy seemed to have genuinely nice intentions.

Taylor presses herself to stop thinking about ghosts. What is done cannot be undone; she'll never know for sure how things would

have turned out had they decided to give the ghost family a chance and it's not worth torturing her mind with things it's too late

to change. Tomorrow, she'll begin a new life at her new school and she will forget this ghosts' story forever.

She stands up.

-''Mom, i'm going to sleep'' she says, feigning a yawn, even though she knows she probably won't get any sleep tonight.


	3. Chapter 2: A new (horrible) beginning

A new day has begun. Michelle is in the bakery's kitchen, preparing the dough for her

works of art. Her girls are at school. She pushes herself to stop thinking about the

ghosts they encountered yesterday. No point in pondering her doubts anymore; even

if her decision to banish them was a mistake, it's too late to regret it now and it's not

worth torturing her mind with ''what if'' scenarios. Today, she begins a new life and

she'll never see those ghosts again...

-''Never? Are you sure, Michelle?'' a voice asks, as if somebody read her mind.

The horrified woman turns around and sees...Miles! He's in a stern expression and

arms crossed.

-''It can't be'' she cries. ''The exterminator told me she exiled you to the ghost

dimension forever. You can't be here! H-how?''

-''The right question is not how, Michelle'' Miles continues. ''The right question is

why. Why didn't you give us a chance?''.

-''He's right, Michelle'' another voice is heard.

She turns and sees Ray, with the same serious expression as Miles.

-''Everybody deserves a chance'' the adult ghost continues.

-''You didn't even care about a kid: me. Because i may be a ghost, but i'm also a

kid, Michelle'' a third voice is heard: Louie.

The three ghosts are slowly walking towards the mortal woman.

-''Stay away'' she screams, but the ghosts ignore her and keep coming.

-''Why Michelle? Why?'' they keep asking in a freaky synchronization while

approaching.

Michelle wakes up in screams. She feels a great relief when she realizes she's still

in her bed and it's still night. She holds her heart.

-''It's okay, Michelle'' she calms herself down. ''Eventually, you will forget about those

damned ghosts''.

* * *

A new day has begun (seriously this time, no more dreams). Taylor is walking in the

corridors of her new school. She's smiling, trying to be optimistic. Just because she

got embarassed yesterday doesn't mean it's all over. She can do it! She can make

friends! Yes, that's it, think positive.

She spots Lily along with three other girls of the gymnastic group: One with white

skin and black hair (she's the one Taylor also met yesterday and introduced herself

as Susan), one with black skin and a blonde one with a look that indicates not much

brains (that one wasn't in the bakery yesterday).

-''Hey girls'' Taylor greets them with a smile and approaches.

Lily and the other two girls Tay met yesterday take awkward expressions.

-''Err...hi Tay'' Lily unwillingly says. ''We can't talk to you right now. We've got to go

to do...err...something''.

-''Yeah, yeah, something'' Susan agrees with the same awkward expression. ''You

know, something about...something!''

Taylor's smile fades:

-''Oh''

Then, she smiles again and tries once more:

-''So, Lily, when shall i come for the team's practice?''

-''Err, actually'' Lily starts, keeping her awkward smile, ''we need no new members

this period. Maybe sometime in the future...''

-''Oh, is that so?'' the blonde girl interrupts with an innocent expression. ''I thought you

said earlier you just don't want her in the team because she's a weirdo...''

-''Zip it, Emma'' Lily whispers and drags her along as she walks away with the other two

girls.

Taylor lowers her head in disappointment.

* * *

Taylor is sitting with her mother in their new houses red living room. Red as the girl's

eyes because of the excessive crying. Michelle is stroking her daughter's head. Silent.

Trying to figure out the right things to say.

-''Come on, sweetie, don't be sad'' she finally says tenderly. ''Sooner or later, the kids

will forget about that. You'll make friends. Everything will turn out fine''.

Taylor however knows this is not true. She knows that, in the teen world, once you

get labeled, it's practically impossible to change that. She knows her social life is

doomed, at least till she graduates.

A kid's voice is heard:

-''Well, i guess you took what you deserved, Taylor Hathaway''.

It's Frankie. She has just entered the living room. She still seems angry for what

her mother and sister did to the ghosts.

-''Frankie, that's enough'' Michelle yells. ''You've gone too far''.

She stands up and shows the room's exit with her index finger.

-''To your room. Now'' she orders Frankie. ''You're grounded''.

The girl shows her mother her middle finger and leaves.

* * *

As Taylor predicted, the gymnastic girls kept avoiding her, considering her a weirdo.

And, to make matters worse, all of them gossiped much. As a result, Taylor's bad

reputation spread fast and nobody at school ever talked to her. Everybody believed

she was just a freaky girl. For the first time in her life, she found herself at the bottom

of the social ladder, along with outcasts like that Spok kid with the huge, green ears.

Such kids were the only ones who ever tried to talk to Tay. She, however, never

answered them. Her feelings so hurt, she had come to feel hatred. Indefinitely.

She no longer wanted to talk to anybody. She hated everybody.

And that would be Taylor Hathaway's life from here on. A miserable life, full of

loneliness and anger.


	4. Chapter 3: The science fair

Another mournful day for Taylor Hathaway. Right now, during a recess, she's sitting on a bench of a corridor in her school,

studying. Yes, studying. Never in her life had she imagined she'd ever study as hard as she's been doing lately. But, this

is the only way she can forget how lonely she feels, how much indefinite hatred she feels.

A childlike voice makes her take her eyes off her studies:

-''Hey''

Taylor sees a blonde kid, obviously from a lower grade. She coldly stares at him without answering. When the boy

realizes he won't take an answer no matter how long he waits, he laughs awkwardly and continues:

-''I'm a journalist from the school's paper''.

-''Reach the point i care about'' Tay boringly says.

The boy laughs again, this time his laugh being different from before...almost rude.

-''I won't to interview you, miss Hathaway'' he continues.

The child takes out his recorder, presses a button and places it in front of a surprised Tay's mouth.

-''Tell me, what does it feel like to be a social garbage? What is your everyday life like?''

The boy's smile now is provoking. It's almost as if he wants Taylor to get mad and punch him! And, yes,

Taylor stands up, yells, grabs the boy by the neck and forcingly lowers his body. All the students around are

staring in shock.

An guy with an athletic body type and short, black hair decides to interfrere. He takes the outraged Taylor away

from the boy.

-''What happened?'' he asks, kinda angry but trying to show calmness.

-''Oh, hey Scott'' the boy says. ''I only tried to make friends with her and she attacked me for no reason''.

-''And why did you even talk to her?'' Scott softly asks the boy. ''This is Taylor Hathaway, haven't you heard of her?

This girl is pathetic, too pathetic for words. I pity her. It's not worth trying to reason with something like this person''.

Tay feels boiling. She tries to attack Scott, but of course he easily immobilizes her, without using unnecessary violence.

-''Go away'' he asks her, with a calm but stern expression. ''You obviously need professional help and i can understand

your condition and show compassion up to a certain point, but next time you attack anyone, i'll make sure you go to

juvenile. I'm not bluffing, i'm a social worker and i have my way to send you there''.

Tay leaves, hearing some laughs among the watchers. If only she could do to all those people what she wanted.

Unfortunately, she's a girl. She's not strong enough. She has no choice but living with the mocking, with her

rage, with her personal hell. Living as a laughing stock. A life worse than death. She stops and punches a locker

out of rage, ignoring the pain in her knuckles.

Meanwhile, the blonde boy from before goes to an assistant of his, who was hidden behind a wall during the whole

incident, holding a camera.

-''Did you record this?''

-''You bet. This will be so hot''

It seems, despite his young age, this journalist is unscrupulous and all he cares about is success.

* * *

Michelle takes a seat on her red living room's couch, moaning in relief. How nice it is to sit after standing for so long! She's now taking

a lunch break from the bakery. However, soon after she's sat, an enormous amount of chocolate sirup lands on her. The shocked

woman stands up and screams.

Frankie enters her room, wearing a cape and a turban and wielding a wand.

-''That was a surprise from the great Frankini'' she says with a provoking smile and theatrically shaking her wand.

-''H-how did you do that?'' a still shocked Michelle asks, looking at the ceiling, seeing there is nothing there.

-''The great Frankini never reveals her secrets'' the girl answers.

The two females stay standing for a while exchanging looks. Michelle is staring at her daughter as if she sees her for the first time.

Something at Frankie is definitely different from the past. Not that she has never made a rude prank before. But, in the past,

whenever Frankie did a prank, she would then laugh heartily. Nowadays though, she has a provoking smile... almost angry smile.

It's as if she no longer does pranks to amuse herself but just to cause the other people's rage. The only sure thing is that, since

that cursed day they encountered those ghosts, her little girl is not the same as before.

-''You've gone too far this time, little miss'' Michelle finally manages to say. ''I don't know how you did that, but i swear i'll come up

with a punishment so hard that your previous punishments will seem a walk to the park''.

-''I don't give a fuck'' the girl says, further shocking her mother and exits the room.

Michelle stays there standing, trying to decide in her shock what to do next.

Taylor enters the room, having just got back from school, dragging her sack in boredom.

-''Oh, hey sweetie''

-''Yeah, hey'' the teenager replies indifferently.

She walks away, towards her room, not seeming to care asking about how her mother ended up in choco sirup.

-''Taylor, wait'' Michelle stops her.

Tay sighs, stops and turns around.

-''I checked out your room...'' Michelle starts and, after a pause, ends with ''and it's spotless!''

-''Yeah, so?'' Tay says, starting to lose her patience with what she considers pointless blabbering.

Michelle sighs. She knows the reason Tay always tries to be busy with something is to delude herself into a feeling that she doesn't

care being alone. That's why she cannot be happy neither for how tidy Taylor has become nor for all those A she's got at her school

exams. She holds her daughter by the shoulders.

-''Taylor, i really appreciate that you do so many chores since we moved. And i couldn't be happier about your efforts at school'' she

lies. ''But, you should try equally hard at the social fields as well. I know you have so much good in you. Show it to the world and

they will adore you. Show them who the real Taylor is''.

Taylor stays silent for a while. Then, she suddenly smiles! Michelle is both surprised and happy, for it's been so long she last saw her

daughter smile. However, the woman's happiness shall be short lived:

-''I've got an idea'' Taylor cries. ''The science fair!''

-''Huh?'' Michelle does with a gag expression.

-''It will take place soon at my school'' Tay explains. ''I'll participate with a project that will sweep the competition! And, when i win,

everybody will envy me!''

-''No, honey, that's not what i had in mind'' Michelle desperately tries, seeing her daughter is becoming less and less likeable as a

person as the days pass.

-''I'll win'' Tay ignores her mother in determination. ''And everybody will see who the real Taylor Hathaway is!''

* * *

Taylor has finished her project. A solar system model that somehow moves with energy from potatoes. Michelle is admiring her

daughter's work.

-''This is great. I'm sure you'll win'' she tries some encouragement.

-''I know i'm going to win. I didn't need you to say that'' Tay rudely relies.

Michelle sighs.

-''Listen, Tay'' she says. ''If you win, use your success to try to make some friends, you don't need to act like a jerk, this isn't you...''

-''This is me'' Tay yells. ''And, when i win, because i will, i'm gonna rub it to everyone's face''.

Michelle sighs again. It seems her anger and sadness have taken Taylor to a point of no return. It seems it's too late to try to reason

with her anymore. That moment, she notices the ring of one of the planets is a little off...

-''This could be fixed'' she mumbles and tries to put the ring to what she considers to be the right position.

-''NO'' Tay screams when she realizes the destruction that is to come.

Too late! The solar system is destroyed!

For a couple of seconds, both women are immobilized by shock.

-''S-sweetie'' Michelle finally breaks the silence. ''I'm terribly sorry, i didn't mean to...''

-''I HATE YOU, ASSHOLE'' Tay screams and bursts into tears, tears of both sadness and anger.

Michelle wide opens her eyes.

-''You hate me?'' she almost whispers.

-''YES, I HATE YOU ALL HUMANS, DROP DEAD'' the practically insane daughter screams and exits the living room running.

What makes the girl even madder is the thought that, if she did something similar, she'd be grounded for at least one month. Now

that her mother did it though, she has no consequences. Fuck adults!

Back in the living room, Michelle lets her body fall on the couch and bursts into tears. She tries to be strong in front of her troubled

daughters, but the truth is she was never good at handling hard situations. And this time is no exception. The broken Michelle

is crying, blaming in her head those ghosts for everything. Since the day she met those spirits, her family has been ruined.

Ahh, how convienient it is to blame somebody else for everything! How easy to cover your own mistakes that way.

Also, little does Michelle know this is only the beginning of the Hades she and her family got into the day they banished those

ghosts.


	5. Chapter 4: The Halloween party

Taylor's school. Strangely, Michelle is here. What is she up to?

She's been here before too. But, the previous times, it was to ask Taylor's teachers about her daughter's progress.

And all the teachers had told her wonderful news about the teen student's performances. What does not allow

Michelle to be happy for the straight As Tay will seemingly receive at the end of the semester is the sorrow she

can feel in her daughter's heart. But, today, she's determined to fix Tay's social life. That's why she's here. She's

holding some pieces of paper.

Eventually, she spots them! Those girls in uniforms! They must be the girls of the gymnastics team.

-''Hey there girls'' she approaches them with a stupid smile.

The teens stare at her with WTF expressions.

-''I'm the mother of Taylor Hathaway'' she introduces herself, in another ridiculous attempt to break the ice.

The girls look at each other with expressions like wordlessly saying to each other ''it figures''.

-''We'll organize a party for Halloween. You're all welcome to our bakery'' Michelle explains, gives them

some of the pieces of paper, which turn out to be invitations, and walks away.

Soon after she's left, the girls, who took the invitations just out of politeness, burst to laughter and throw

them to a rubbish bin.

Meanwhile, Michelle stops walking and wide opens her eyes in shock when she sees Taylor, arms crossed and

staring at her, or should i say glaring.

-''T-Tay, i thought i told you you can stay home today'' she mumbles (that was part of her plan, because she didn't

want Tay to see her here today; she wanted that party to be a surprise, a new beginning in the life of her teen

angel, without all that hatred in her once lovely soul).

-''Just because you told me so doesn't mean i have to skip a school day'' Tay rudely answers. ''Besides, it's not

like i have anything better to do in my life''.

An awkward moment of silence follows (well, awkward for Michelle only).

-''Why are you here anyway?'' the teen continues.

-''Err...ummm...''

Actually, it would be easy to come up with some excuse like ''i came to ask the teachers about your progress'',

but Michelle has a serious problem functioning under pressure. So, instead of answering, she takes out her

tongue, says some syllables in a gag expression and runs. Tay rolls her eyes and decides to pretend this

never happened.

* * *

Halloween night. The bakery has been decorated by Michelle for the celebration. Her purpose was to make the

place look spooky, but, as middle aged people usually do when they mess with teenage stuff, she seems not

to have done a great job (even though she believes the exact opposite). The carved pumkins on the tables

look more like smily faces rather than scary ones; they'd be more appropriate for a party for 5 year olds.

As for the spider webs and bats hanging from the walls and ceiling, one can tell from miles away they're

fake. Michelle is wearing her costume for the Halloween night; a failed attempt to look like that Glinda fairy

from Wizard Of Oz.

Taylor is upstairs studying. She has no idea about the surprise party yet. Michelle wants to wait for the kids

to come first and then reveal the surprise to her beloved Tay. But, time passes... and passes... and nobody

comes. For a few hours, Michelle is in denial, but, in the end, after several hours, she has to face the truth.

Nobody shall come! Her daughter is totally alone. Doomed to spend that wonderful celebration in her room

studying.

The adult woman sits on a table and starts crying. How can the teen world be so cruel to labeled kids?

She can now understand why Taylor feels all that hatred. She'd probably feel the same if she was in

that position. And the worst thing is she can think of nothing to help with her daughter's misery.

Nothing at all!

She buries her face in her arms.

-''I want to die'' the crying woman mumbles to herself, thinking nobody is watching her.

-''I have come for you, Michelle Hathaway'' a distorted and freaky voice is heard.

Michelle raises her head and sees a horrifying creature in a black cape, a creature that looks like Death

himself! The woman screams like she's never done before.

Frankie's head emerges from the middle of Death costume.

-''Mom, it's me'' the surprised girl says.

Definitely, she hadn't expected to scare her mother THAT much.

-''Are you ok, mom?'' the worried Frankie asks, showing care towards her mother for the first time in a

really long time.

-''It's ok, sweetie, it's not your fault'' Michelle answers, still in tears, and hugs Frankie, who does not try

to escape, like she normally does when someone tries to hug her.


	6. Chapter 5: Here comes the newbie

Behind the bench, Michelle has just given the package to the customer. Then, she rests her head on her hand, watching the

woman exit the shop. She has a melancholic expression. Customers are so rare nowadays.

It's been a while since that fatso jerk who had the other bakery nearby stole Michelle's book of recipes. He had been

disguised as an old lady. When Michelle had realized her mistake, it'd been too late. Her book was gone and she knew

trying to go and get it back was futile.

Despite what both her and her competitor had initially believed, Michelle's bakery somehow still survives...barely.

According to what Michelle heard recently, the fatso's bakery now belongs to someone else. It seems a fraud

went there, pretended to be injured and sued the fatso. In the end, he won the bakery, since the other fraud

(the one who had stolen Michelle's recipes) couldn't prove anything.

Darn , this world is full of frauds, Michelle thinks. Like her ex husband!

And, as if her financial difficulties are not enough, she also has to deal with two problematic daughters. How

much longer can she last?

* * *

Taylor is sitting on a bench studying, next to the entrance of the school's gym. The gymnastics' team is inside.

Suddenly, a girl comes out crying. She has a lovely face with long, red hair.

Tay instictively raises her head and looks at her. The other girl notices her too. Whoops, she's now approaching.

-''Darn'' Tay thinks and goes back to her books, hoping that the girl will leave if she ignores her.

-''Hey, you must be Taylor Hathaway'' the read head greets her, still tears in her eyes. ''I saw your face in the

school's newspaper''.

-''That jerk, blonde kid who plays journalist will never get bored of writing articles about how weird i am'' Tay

replies in her head.

-''By the way, i'm Meadow'' the girl continues. ''May i sit?''

-''NO'' Taylor rudely yells with a glare.

-''Thanks'' Meadow replies, having heard not what Tay said but what she wanted to hear, and sits anyway.

However, because the bench does not have much room, Meadow accidentally causes Taylor to fall. The

red head wide opens her eyes.

-''GOSH, i'm so sorry'' she declares. ''I'm so clumsy, i always cause accidents. That's why the gymnastics girls

did not accept me to their team''.

While the mumbling Taylor gets up and has a seat again, Meadow continues, oblivious to Tay's anger:

-''Well, i admit i tore their banner...and broke the arm of a girl...and the leg of another one...and

that swollen eye of that third girl will definitely turn into an infection...''

Tay giggles, happy for the gymnastic girls having got what she believes they deserved.

-''...but i didn't do anything on purpose'' Meadow continues, with sorrow in her voice. ''And i apologized!''

-''Those girls are jerks. They didn't accept me to their team either, just because i had a weird day when i

first met them'' Tay finally speaks. ''And that single weird day doomed me to being labeled as a weirdo.

That's why i now hate everybody''.

Hearing this story, Meadow feels sorry for the girl she considers her new friend. She holds Taylor's

hand and offers her a smile. The surprised Taylor looks at her.

-''You know, Tay, you and i have a lot in common after all'' she says. ''You make me feel relaxed.

And when i feel relaxed, i'm not as accident prone as usual''.

Meadow laughs at that last comment of hers. Taylor doesn't. Meadow continues:

-''You know, the two of us could hang out''.

Taylor wide opens her eyes.

-''Are you that stupid, you filthy, sticky marshmeadow?'' she yells, shocking the red head. ''I told you

i hate every human being. What's so hard to get?''

-''I...i...'' the shocked Meadow tries ''...listen, Taylor, i know you have a lot of anger in you because of

how you've been treated by your social enviroment, but i swear i'm not like them...''

-''SPARE ME THE BULL'' Tay interrupts the girl, further shocking her. ''The only reason you treat me nicer

than the others is because you're an outcast like me. If you were not, you would be exactly as much

of an asshole to me as everybody else. Am i right?''

A moment of silence, with Taylor glaring and Meadow being in total shock.

-''T-Tay'' she does one final attempt. ''You can't hate all humanity for what a great, but still finite, number

of humans has done to you. If you keep being like that, you'll take back nothing more than more negativity...''

-''YOU'RE THREATENING ME, TRASH?'' Tay yells.

She stands up and pushes Meadow off the bench.

-''GO AWAY'' she screams.

Her eyes full of tears once more, the fallen Meadow gets up and leaves. Doomed to loneliness, just like the,

barely still sane, Taylor. The red head leaves, ignoring the wonderful friendship the two girls could have

developped under different circumstances... if things hadn't turned out that badly... in another universe,

a universe full of joy and laughter, a universe with the happy Hathaways' and Prestons' coexistence.

Neither of those two girls will ever know anything about their more lucky counterparts. They will never

realize how much difference the husband of that black lady finding his socks made that day...


	7. Chapter 6: The charm school

Over the following weeks, Taylor's state deteriorated and she had to be put in a mental clinic. Tay losing it cost Frankie

more than she ever allowed herself to show. True, since the day the ghosts were banished, she had stopped

all the activities she had used to share with her older sister (even the Crazy Cake Day!), having never forgiven Tay for

not helping the ghost family. But, when Taylor finally went totally nuts and was put into the asylum, Frankie realized

how much her sister still meant to her. She had finally regretted holding grudges, even though she would never

admit it with words.

Since the day Taylor stopped living with them, Frankie once more became unbearable, trying to channel her hidden

sorrow through provoking pranks. In the end, Michelle decided she had to do something, for the customers were

already too few; she couldn't afford to lose any more of them. ''Luckily'' a customer who saw Frankie's behaviour

talked to Michelle about a charm school. Michelle did not think about it twice!

* * *

Frankie and her mother are now entering the main hall of the white building, which is located in lovely green surroundings

nonetheless. But the inside is anything but lovely. Everything is grey: walls, students' uniforms, Frankie's mood.

-''I still can't believe you're making me spend two weeks in this mausoleum'' the little girl protests.

-''Will you stop?'' a smiling Michelle retorts, trying to show good mood. ''This academy is the very definition of class...''

That moment, she tries a mint or something from a metal bowl and likes it so much that she steals a bunch of them.

The headmaster enters and comes to greet the two newcomers. She has short, red hair and she's wearing a dull,

black dress. Not exactly the beautiful type, neither inside nor outside.

-''Welcome to Beauchamp's charm academy, i am Beauchamp'' she introduces herself in theatric and fake politeness.

Her eyes to Frankie:

-''You must be Francesca''.

The female kid replies with a burp instead of words.

-''FRANKIE'' Michelle cries, then, collecting herself continues ''i apologize madame...err...''

After two ridiculously failed attempts to say Beauchamp's name right, she's interrupted by her:

-''Don't worry, miss Hathaway. In two weeks time, your daughter will be the well mannered girl you always dreamt of having''.

-''Thank you'' Michelle sighs in relief while stroking Frankie's head. ''You know, Francesca has gone through a lot since we moved,

but i know there is still a sweet girl deep inside her''.

The woman kisses her daughter's head and leaves, promising to return in one week for a visit.

While driving away, Michelle realizes that now, with Frankie gone as well, she will have to live alone. Totally alone. This is an

unpleasant thought. She hasn't been living alone since she was in college...no wait, she has never gone to college, well

unless her online degrees count as that. Anyway, the thing is, for the first time in her life, she'll have to live alone.

Well, it's for her daughters' good.

* * *

One week later, we once more see Michelle in the main hall of the academy, waiting for her daughter to come, while

also searching the area with her eyes, in case she spots those amazing mints. Frankie 's wearing the

school's uniform and holding a metal vase full of flowers. Something in her eyes shows that something's wrong

with her, but Michelle does not seem to worry for the time being.

-''Hello, mother'' the girl greets her, with an unusual for her standards politeness.

-''Aww, my perfect little lady'' a happy Michelle does.

-''I picked these just for you, mother'' Frankie offers her the flowers.

-''You can call me mom'' Michelle says and, examining the flowers, continues, ''Not exploding ones, huh? They're beautiful''.

-''Just like you, mother'' Frankie comments.

At this point, Michelle is starting feeling annoyed.

-''I think you're overdoing it a little'' she says in an awkward smile.

Frankie places her hand on her heart and says:

-''I've upset you. That pains me. I'll make up for my rudeness by offering you a mint''.

She goes away. Okay, Michelle is really freaked out now! She gets up and goes to talk to that- whatever she's called- lady

who runs the place.

-''I'm sorry, what have you done to my child?'' she asks, trying to remain calm.

-''I did what you couldn't, miss Hathaway; turned her into a lady'' Beauchamp answers with an irritating smile.

She then takes out a whistle and blows it. All the girls in the room immediately stand in a line and start mumbling in

synchronization some bullshit about what a proper lady is supposed to do.

-''THAT'S ENOUGH'' an out of mind Michelle yells.

Girls stop and look at her in shock.

-''This place should be demolished. You turn the kids into zombies'' she angrily continues, looking at Beauchamp.

-''We prepare them for what's a woman's purpose in life'' the other woman answers, with an exasperating calmness.

''To marry some wealthy man''.

-''Then, this shouldn't be called a ladies academy, but a whores academy'' Michelle keeps yelling.

-''If you don't like my services, you're free to take your brat and go'' Beauchamp says, forgetting her aristocratic language

this time, arms crossed and a provoking smile.

Michelle turns to her daughter.

-''Frankie, we're outta here'' she orders.

The girl gasps, holding her heart once more.

-''I don't want to leave already, mother. This is a wonderful place'' she complains, still in a polite tone nonetheless.

-''I said we leave'' her mother insists, grabs the girl's hand and forcefully drags her along.

* * *

Lady Beauchamp's academy. A trully awful place. Who could imagine that, behind a seemingly dreamy castle full of little,

well mannered princesses, such cruelty is so well hidden. Lady Beauchamp, an unscrupulous woman, abuses the souls

of poor little girls, enforcing practically military discipline. And, when that doesn't work, she resorts to illegal methods,

like subliminal sleep messages, or even electroshocks and drugs! As a result, she turns the kids into creatures with no

volition, into practically lifeless creatures.

Michelle sending her daughter there was probably the greatest mistake in her life (well, along with banishing the

Prestons). Now that Michelle has realized this, it's too late. It's been a month since she took her little angel from

that hell, but Francesca hasn't recovered.

Michelle has tried everything to correct her mistake. Everything to remind Frankie of her real self, of how she used

to have fun. All to no avail. It seems that Beauchamp creep has done too good a job. Frankie remains the same

robotic creature. And it seems she will remain that way for as long as she shall live: a brainwashed, static excuse

for a living thing.

One afternoon, Michelle is sitting on the red living room's couch crying for the way her family has ended up. Her

daughters were everything for her. She tried to do her best for them to have a good life. And what were the

fruits of her efforts? The one of her daughters is a psychopath and the other one is an android. Why did

things turn out so awful? Is she really that bad a mother? Or is it just bad fate?

Frankie enters her room.

-''Why are you crying, my beloved mother?'' she sweetly asks, holding Michelle's shoulders.

Michelle looks at her daughters eyes. Those wonderful, brown eyes, which used to be so playful, so mischievous.

Those eyes that are now so cold, totally empty of life. Neither her theatrically polite smile nor her seemingly

compassionate expression can hide the fact that Frankie is practically a dead person.

Realizing this, realizing her daughter is essentially dead, Michelle bursts into tears and sobs like she's never before.

-''Oh, Frankie, i'm so sorry i did this to you. I swear, if i could take it back...''

Unable to speak anymore, she just hugs her daughter's lifeless body, sobbing.

-''Don't worry, mother. As far as i can remember, you did nothing to me, except being the most amazing mother in

the world'' Frankie replies.

Michelle laughs for a second in her tears. Then, she remembers this is not Frankie speaking and bursts into tears

once more.

-''Oh sweetie, if only you knew how sorry i am'' she whispers, holding Frankie tighter in her arms.

Frankie breaks free of the hug and once more looks at her mother with her lifeless eyes.

-''I don't know what i did and made you so sad mother'' she says, holding her chest. ''Whatever it is, i apologize and

i promise i will try to be a better daughter, a better kid, a better person''.

Frankie, or should i say Frankie's empty body, exits the living room, walking in the grace a ''real lady'' is supposed to do,

whereas Michelle hates herself. She doesn't care anymore how many rude pranks Frankie would do, how many

customers she would lose. The only thing she wants is her little girl back. But that will never happen.


	8. Chapter 7: Encounter with the past

And it happened! Michelle had known deep inside for a long time that it would happen eventually. Maybe it didn't take only

one week for the automated bakery next door to throw her out of business, no, Michelle's bakery was proven more

tenacious than that. But still, it couldn't last forever against competition with the combination of the automated

production and Michell's stolen book of recipes. So, there came one day when Michelle realized she was faced with two options:

either she'd close the bakery now herself or she'd soon be put into jail for debts.

Since her bakery was now bankrupt, she had no other option than take Frankie and leave New Orleans. Her attempt to start

a new life there had totally failed. With her business lost and both her daughters having turned into shadows of their former

selves, Michelle had failed at everything.

* * *

-''I can't believe i'll get to see my beloved father after so long. I'm so happy, mother'' Frankie declares as she and her mom are

waiting outside of the mansion's door for someone to open.

Ok, this is clearly Beachamp's brainwashing speaking, Michelle figures. Both Frankie and Taylor always hated their father; they

constantly called him an asshole and other names. Michelle could never blame them for that. She wasn't sure, but maybe she

hated him too.

She was very young when she married him and gave him everything under no conditions. Stephen Hathaway was a wealthy and

powerful man. Visibly older than Michelle and not very attractive. Alas, when they got married, everybody was like ''Hmf, look at

the old fatso having got the young chick. Money talks!''. Michelle however couldn't care less about the gossip. She herself knew

the truth. And the truth was she admired that man who had started from poverty and had created a business empire. She felt

safe next to him. Nowadays, she acknowledges in her head that, maybe back when she was young, she confused admiration

with being in love. But still her intentions were pure, she never had his money in her mind.

The problem was not that nobody else believed in the purity of Michelle's intentions. The problem was that Stephen didn't

believe in that either. Just like the world, he thought Michelle had married him for financial reasons, he saw their marriage

as an exchange, he believed he had bought her. That's why he locked her in a golden cage, like she was his trophy or

something.

When Michelle realized her mistake, when she realized people are not always what they seem, it was too late, she had

children. And, for her children's sake, she was patient, trying to endure her husband's insensitivity, violence and adulteries.

Until, one day, she decided she had had enough. Stephen did not seem to care. Neither did he try to take the custody of

their two daughters, whom he had never showed any compassion towards. He was like ''Ok, take the brats and go.

I can't wait for the moment you come back, having failed, being peniless and begging me''. Michelle was determined to

succeed, to build a new wonderful life for herself and her daughters, all by herself, without any help from that bastard.

And, then, she would rub it in his face. She was sure that, if she succeeded, if she proved she had no need for him and

his dirty money, it would annoy him really badly.

Therefore, now that she had failed, now that the bastard had unfortunately been proven right, the worst thing for

Michelle would be the moment she would see his triumphant face. Darn, why is life so unfair? Why, one way or

another, money and power always go to creeps? Where is justice? These rich bastards are the ones heroes

like Thundermans should combat, not green ghosts (Michelle heard recently the Thundermans had dropped by

New Orleans chasing a ghost villain and managed to imprison him after an epic battle. Whether that is true or not,

she's not sure. She's not even sure whether those Thundermans guys exist. But, having encountered ghosts

herself in the past, even if it turned out that those people with super speeds or fire breaths exist, it wouldn't

surprise her).

The door opening interrupts Michelle's memories, bringing her back to the present. It's Mary, one of the housemaids.

-''Hello, Michelle'' she politely greets her old master.

-''Hey, Mary'' the other woman replies, trying to show good mood.

The servant turns to Frankie.

-''Frankie, look how much you've grown. I almost did not recognize you'' she exclaims, which i guess is what an adult

usually says to a child he/she hasn't seen for a long time (even if the child hasn't changed much).

-''It's a pleasure to see you again, old friend Mary'' Frankie replies and, holding her skirt edges, she bends her knees

like the renaissance court ladies.

Mary is baffled for a moment, for she's not used to seeing Frankie talking like that. Then, she shrugs it off and takes

them to the living room.

Stephen is sitting on an armchair, legs crossed. He's a middle aged man, relatively short, fat and with short, white

curly hair. If he was, say, a constructor, dressed in a dirty shirt and jeans, no woman would lay an eye on him, not

even Michelle. But, being a tycoon and dressed like a yuppie, he emits an aura of charm and has plenty of success

when it comes to the opposite sex.

When the two females enter, he gets up to greet them.

-''Hello Michelle'' he says in fake politeness, without smiling.

Equally gloomy, Michelle answers with a nod. Frankie bends her knees holding her skirt like before.

-''Good afternoon, my respectful father'' she says in aristocratic politeness.

Not knowing about Frankie's metamorphosis, Stephen assumes this just another of his daughter's stupid jokes.

-''I'm not in the mood for your bullshit, Frankie'' the annoyed man says.

-''Please, don't use such dirty language, father. You hurt my feelings'' Francesca says, holding her heart.

Stephen has now realized something is wrong with Frankie.

-''Err, leave us alone'' he asks.

-''As you wish, father'' Frankie replies and exits the room.

Stephen turns to Michelle.

-''What's got into Frankie?'' he asks. ''Is she lobotomized or something?''

-''What do you know, asshole?'' Michelle breaks out. ''Do you think it's easy raising two kids alone?''

-''You're the one who bragged she could do it'' he retorts.

Then, mimicking Michelle's voice, he repeats Michelle's last words before their divorce:

-''Me and my daughters do not need you. We shall find our heaven far from you''

Then, he laughs at his mimickry, making Michelle growl and tighten her fists.

-''So, how was that heaven, Michelle? What were the fruits of your efforts?'' he continues. ''I'll tell you. You're broke

and your daughters have both undergone brain damage. Way to go''.

-''Say what you want'' Michelle answers, trying to remain calm. But you remember what the judge said. If i lost all my

money, you would pay for the kids' upbringing''.

-''Don't worry, i will do what the judge said'' he says in a serious now expression. ''But i don't remember that judge

guy saying anything about having to pay for your food as well. So, i don't see what you're still doing here''

Michelle wide opens her eyes.

-''Are you...will you really tell our kids that you...''

-''Which kids?'' Stephen interrupts her. ''The one of them is in a straightjacket. As for the other one...let's find out''.

And, with that, he yells:

-''FRANKIE''

-''What may i do for you, my beloved father?'' Frankie asks while re entering the room.

-''Is there any problem if i kick out your mother out of this house?''

-''Not at all, father'' Frankie replies with a bow of respect. ''I know you have your reasons for whatever you do''.

-''FRANKIE'' a desperate Michelle yells.

Her daughter turns to her:

-''Don't worry mother'' she says in her lately usual, lifeless, robotic politeness. ''I'm sure the world out there is a

wonderful, sugar place, full of fun and happiness. I wish you to have the best of times''.

Michelle has stayed with her mouth open. It seems the brainwashing has made Frankie oblivious to everything

bad in this world. Her washed brain can no longer conceive the idea of a person being bad or what the real

world is like.

Michelle wonders what is worse. Herself being now homeless or her daughter doomed to live with practically

no consciousness, trapped in her pink delusion?

* * *

Michelle spent her last money to return to New Orleans. For some reason, she wanted to go there again,

far from everybody she knew. She had lost both of her daughters, who were the whole world to her.

Because she knew that both Frankie and Tay were only physically alive anymore. With that thought in

mind, nothing mattered to her anymore.

She stayed in a hotel, drinking all day, not really looking for a job. And, when all her cash were gone, she

became one of the hobos. Dirty, dressed in rugs, walking the streets with no purpose. She spent most of

the money bypassers gave her to more alchohol. Most of the time, one would see her walking with a

bottle in her hand, laughing in her drunken state.

One day, while she was sitting against a wall, another hobo, a male one, approached her.

-''Hey, you're, you're...that woman from the bakery'' he exclaims.

-''I don't know what i am anymore'' the drunken Michelle laughs.

-''Don't tell me you're homeless'' he continues.

-''No, i live in a palace nearby'' Michelle laughs, unsure whether what she said is true.

-''I don't know how you ended up this way, but it serves you right'' the man says with a wild smile.

''I'm Clay Banister. I used to be a famous food critic until the day i came at your bakery and ghosts haunted

me. Nobody believed my ghost story and i got fired. My life was ruined that day, all thanks to your stupid

ghosts''.

-''My life was ruined because of those ghosts too'' Michelle laughs.

-''Huh?'' a baffled Clay does.

Instead of answering, the everlaughing Michelle gets up and walks away, while raising her bottle and yelling:

-''GHOST SUCK. DEATH TO GHOSTS, HAHAHA''

* * *

Winter. Michelle is lying on a bench. She's not sure how long it's been since she became homeless. Maybe a few

months, maybe a few years. Nothing matters anyway. The thing is it's really cold outside. Michelle is not sure

whether she'll make it till spring. She curls up. Despite the cold, she manages to get some sleep. While falling

asleep, she has a moment of soberness. She wonders what she has done so wrong in her life for everything to

have ended up that badly. Was her decision to revolt against her husband and have a divorce that bad? Or

should she have not married him in the first place (even though admitting that would be like regretting having

given birth to Taylor and Frankie) ? Anyway, with those thoughts, she falls asleep.

Michelle finds herself in a red room. Looks familiar. Oh, yeah, it's the living room of her old house in the New

Orleans, where all her dreams of a new life were crushed. How did she get here? And who is this woman

over there? Wait a minute, it's herself! What's wrong here?

Michelle realizes that she's immaterial. Has she lost her body? And why is her other self there with her two

daughters? And who are those black people? Michelle immediately remembers they're the ghost family and

the exterminator she hired to banish them that day. The ghosts are slowly vanishing, while the exterminator

is chanting something. Is this a project of that past event? Is some superior force trying to show her that

what she did wrong in her life was not her marriage or her divorce but her decision not to show mercy to

those ghosts?

-''Now i remember that scene'' Michelle thinks. ''Now the adult ghost will plead me or something''.

And, as she predicted:

-''Please, we'll do anything. ANYTHING'' the desperate Ray Preston tries.

-''Okay, i can do this, STOP'' the other Michelle yells to the black lady.

-''Huh?'' the real, immaterial Michelle thinks in surprise. ''I don't remember saying that. This is not what happened

that day. Is this an alternate reality? Is some superior force showing me what would have happened if i had acted

differently?''

The scenery changes. Many pictures pass by Michelle's eyes, in fast forward, but still slowly enough for her to realize

what is going on. She sees herself and her two daughters playing a puzzle game with the ghosts, as a single, big

happy family. She sees Frankie playing an amazing voleyball game in her school and being applauded, all because

of those ghosts' help. She sees Taylor in a gymnastics' uniform, surrounded by the other girls of the school's team,

having a wonderful time together. She sees Frankie rapping with the kid ghost, then being taught how to play the piano

by the adult ghost. She sees Taylor in the red living room, dressed like a princess, herself admiring her and Frankie

comically trying not to admit it, but finally admitting that her sister is beautiful. Then, a boy enters the room, a handsome

athletic guy, who has seemingly come to take Taylor to the school's prom.

The pictures above and more of them keep projecting in front of Michelle's eyes, faster and faster. Every joy, every pleasure,

every laughter, every happiness she could have had, had she not treated the ghosts that way. Then, all the pictures start

fading, Michelle feels being pulled away from them, everything becomes dark.

-''NO WAIT'' she tries to yell. ''That's what i want, i was wrong, please give me a second chance''.

Unfortunately, no more chances. The panicked Michelle now feels her consciousness fading too along with the pictures, herself

being pulled to darkness. It's too late to regret her choices.

* * *

Next morning, Michelle's body was found on the same bench, having died of cold.


	9. Chapter 8: At last, peace

Here's a summary of what happened over the following decades after the events of the 7 previous chapters:

Neither Michelle's ex husband nor her daughters were ever informed about what happened of her, since they never

bothered with that (Stephen not caring and the two girls having mental problems).

Stephen sent Frankie to a boarding school, having got used to living alone and hosting his occassional lovers, not wanting

any brat in his way, not even a robotically obedient one like the brainwashed Frankie. Francesca spent her student and

college years studying thoroughly, receiving impressively good grades.

Taylor never recovered and stayed at the clinic, forgotten by everyone (neither her insensitive father nor her brain damaged

sister ever visited her), trapped in her own madness, hatred, misery. She suicided in her late twenties.

When Frankie graduated, her father figured he could use her to extend his business empire, so he married her to an old perv,

who happened to be a billionaire and Stephen saw the potential to do profitable business with. Frankie had no objections to

the wedding; as she had been taught at Beauchamp's academy, a woman's purpose in life is to marry some wealthy man.

A few years after her wedding, both her father and husband had already died of natural causes. She never married again.

Having already married a wealthy man once, she considered, in her washed brain, that she had already fulfilled her purpose

in life.

Alas, she inherited both her father's and husband's vast fortunes and spent the rest of her days pointlessly, going for

recreational trips, attending stupid social parties and doing other stuff she considered, in her washed brain, that rich,

well mannered ladies are supposed to do.

* * *

New Orleans. It's been 70 years or so since Frankie left that place. And now here she is once more, in one of those

stupid, ''recreational'' trips of hers.

She passes by an old building that looks spooky. A ''for sale'' sign is outside. Frankie guesses she might as well go

inside and have a look. The building looks classy and it would suit to a rich, aristocratic, well mannered lady like her.

She enters the red living room. Then, something miraculous happens. Her washed brain starts remembering.

A memory that is almost ancient projects itself in front of her eyes. The place full of snow, because of a ghost's

power. A blizzard having broken out in the room. Her mother trying to shield herself saying something like:

-''Okay, the mittens make sense now. One point for Ray''

-''Thank you'' another voice, a male one, is heard.

Meanwhile, Frankie, as she was in her 9, has grabbed a piece of furniture, to prevent her little body from being

dragged away by the magic wind. She looks happy. A genuine happiness, not a delusion of happiness, which is

what she's been feeling over the last 70 years.

-''Yaay, i'm the king of the world'' her kid self yells.

Frankie realizes that was a memory of the last time in her life she was trully happy. Suddenly, it's like she wakes

up from a coma. It's as if she had lost consciousness for seven decades. At last snapped out of her brainwashing,

Frankie wide opens her eyes to the realization of the harsh truth. 70 years of her life wasted! Practically all her

life wasted!

-''NOOO'' she screams and falls on her knees.

And Frankie stayed there, fallen, who knows how long, and cried as many tears as her aged eyes could produce.

For one moment, she thought of ending her life there and then, herself. But, then, she gleamed:

-''No, i'm the great Frankini, my own story shall not end that pitifully''.

* * *

Frankie bought Beauchamp's academy and converted it into a foundation that really helped problematic children.

She found and hired people with emotional intelligence, people who treated the children's innocent souls with

love, understanding and who knew how to offer them a better life.

A few more years passed by. Over those few years, Frankie did so much good with her money, felt so much

fullfillment that it was almost as if she had made up for all those decades she had lost because of that

(obviously dead now) Beauchamp monster.

When she felt her end was near, having found worthy hands to bequeath her empire to, she decided to visit

her foundation for one last time.

-''Kids, say hello to the academy's owner, a true lady, a true human, Francesca Hathaway'' a teacher introduced

her.

The children started cheering when Frankie entered. She felt receiving so much love. She felt so much happiness.

She sat with the children, as if she was just their grandma, and started telling them stories. Everybody was

listening with attention, even the teachers.

She told them the story of the day she'd met those ghosts in that bakery. How much she had come to like them

and how much she had tried to save them. But, in the end, she pointed she no longer holds grudges, neither

to her mother nor to her sister; she can now understand that, whatever they did, their intentions were the best.

The teachers do not seem to have believed that story. But the children all look impressed.

The sweet moment is interrupted by a pain in Frankie's chest. She holds her heart, feeling Death's hand. But she

does not mind, she feels she has lived a fullfilling life. Under the children's screaming and the teachers running

around and trying to call for help, Frankie dies in a sweet smile, a really respected old lady that shall receive a

glorious burial.

* * *

Frankie wakes up in a square. She immediately gets up. Humans and weird looking humanoids are walking

around. She looks at her hands. Can't be...she's back to her 9 year old body! Then, she hears two voices

that sound familiar:

-''Frankie''

-''You're here at last''

She turns around and wide opens her eyes in shock.

-''MOM? TAYLOR?''

Both of them look like the age they were at when Frankie last saw them, so many decades ago.

-''Yes, Frankie, it's us'' Taylor confirms. ''At last, we're all together. No more sorrows''.

-''I want you to know we're sorry for everything'' Michelle adds.

Frankie cannot hold herself anymore. She runs towards them. All three of them hug in a tender, family

reunion.

-''We've forgiven them too, Frankie'' another voice is heard.

The girl breaks the hug and turns around. Those three black persons...yes, they're those ghosts.

-''Actually, we've become good friends'' the smiling Miles says.

-''They've told me so much about you, Frankie. I couldn't wait to meet you'' Ray adds.

Frankie looks at Louie. She smiles at him.

-''So, do you still like me?'' she playfully asks, remembers the last thing Louie told her the day they were

banished from the house.

-''Darn, i hoped she'd have forgotten by now'' the boy says.

Everybody else laughs.

-''Well, laugh at this'' a comically angry Louie says and snaps his fingers.

Whatever he intended to do, he fails and, next moment, he finds himself in a chocolate suit.

Everybody laughs even harder and Louie snorts.

THE END


End file.
